What are Ethical Diamonds?

Ethical diamonds are diamonds that are mined without exploiting workers or the environment. Ethical diamonds are often referred to as “conflict-free”, but this term is certified by the Kimberley Process, which only takes into account whether the company finances rebel movements. Since the Kimberley Process does not take human rights abuses or environmental degradation into account, the “conflict-free” certification is limited and does not address the wide range of environmental issues associated with diamonds.  

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Want a hot take?  Everyone knows that all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares. The same can be said for ethical and “conflict-free” diamonds. Ethical diamonds can be considered “conflict-free”, but “conflict-free,” according to the Kimberley Process, does not always mean completely ethical.

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Are Ethical Diamonds “good”?

TLDR: Ethical diamonds are better than those associated with human and environmental exploitation, but they are not necessarily “good”. 

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Africa is home to 65% of the world’s diamonds and much of the conflict associated with the gemstone.  In African countries like Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Congo, and Angola the diamond mining industry is a bloody business where violent rebel groups take over mining areas by brutal and deadly force. These rebel groups then illegally trade the diamonds for money and weapons. The diamonds from these illegal transactions end up all over the world and are known as blood diamonds or “conflict-diamonds.” In theory, an “ethical” diamond is one that is not funding rebel groups, violating human rights, and causing environmental degradation. They are better than conflict diamonds, but not necessarily “good”. 

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What kind of products are made with Ethical Diamonds?

Diamond jewelry of all kinds can be made with ethical diamonds. However, not all jewelers work with ethical diamonds and if they do, often they are unable to prove that their diamonds are ethical. Brilliant Earth does a great job proving their diamonds are ethical by going above the diamond industry standard. When a diamond is considered “conflict free” by any company, it is limited to the Kimberley Process definition. Brilliant Earth’s line of jewelry called “Beyond conflict free” goes beyond the scope of the Kimberley Process by sourcing diamonds from a select group of diamond suppliers that demonstrate a robust chain of custody protocol. These suppliers are required to source diamonds originating from specific mine operations or countries that have demonstrated their commitment to follow internationally recognized labor, trade, and environmental standards. 

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Are there certifications I should look out for?

Brilliant Earth, a global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry, has a line of “ethical” diamond jewelry called Beyond Conflict Free, which does not finance rebel movements, protects against human rights abuses, minimizes environmental degradation, maintains safe and responsible labor practices, and supports community development. Brilliant Earth uses stringent certifications from the Responsible Jewellery Council and the International Organization for Standardization to ensure their diamonds are ethical.

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Still want to learn more? Check out some of our favorite references:

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• Diamonds: Ethics and the Environment | Finch
• Ethical diamonds: What Conscientious Consumers Need to Know
• Beyond Conflict Free Diamonds
• Blood Diamonds
• Brilliant Earth

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